A Thing For Blondes

Millicent Holiday , the Florida Innocence Project Attorney assigned to this case ,picked the five of us up bright and early the next morning and drove us to the Miami County Jail....Where we met murder suspect, Kevin Mcray.... accused of murdering 20 year old Danielle Richardson Ricard..He was being held on 1 million dollars bail...His Newspaper refused to pay even a tenth of that...Olivia said she would work on lowering his bail...

He was surprisingly well kept considering... He was clean shaven, His hair was combed and he had obviously showered....He didn't have that look, that disheveled look most prisoners have when they are brought out to see their attorneys...

Except for the orange jump suit and sneakers...He looked like the Newspaper editor and writer he actually was...

He hadn't missed any meals either...He was a robust six foot ,two, 240 pounds.....Jail had not begin to wear him down as it did most...He looked for the time being like what he was...A priveledged white suburban man ,who couldn't understand how he'd gotten into such a mess...

He peered at Millicent as she marched in with us..

''Kevin, this is Olivia Bennett -Alexander and Beverly West and their staff..They'll be helping me defend you.." she said..

He peered at Olivia and Beverly....

"I know who you two are....The Dynamic duo...Crusaders for justice.." he said almost sarcastically....and then he looked at me..

''And I know you...New Orleans Boy....Used to be a cop...Broke that corruption case open...Now you're married to Olivia Bennett huh?  Live in Philadelphia...Not a bad deal for you huh?  You're a P.I. now..." he said...

He looked at Nelson and Josie, who he didn't know..

 "This is Attorney Nelson East, also from Philadelphia, He'll be assisting us and

Josie Boyd, Olivia and Beverly's Para Legal...She'll be assisting us also.." said Millicent....

Kevin smiled...

''Wowww...You gals brought your whole staff huh?" he said..

"I'm going to need her staff to get you out of this mess.."said Millicent..

Kevin Mcray frowned..

"Yeah, I am in a bit of a pickle aint I?" he said.

II-

"Mr. McRay ,I'm going to need you to tell me everything that happened that night at the bar...Everything." said Olivia..

He smiled at Olivia, then he said..

''Before we get started...I have to say this...First off...Thank you for taking my case...And I owe you and your niece an apology.....I have followed you two since you got Steven Graves off of two separate murder raps....For the record..I think he's guilty as hell of killing his wife..but never the less ,you two got him off on two murder raps...I've followed the many death penalty cases you two have successfully defended as well as other controversial cases around the country....I wrote some pretty scathing indictments on you two...I got on Fox News and called you both race baiters and ambulace chasers without even knowing you two.....I am sorry , I was wrong.." he said.

"You still don't know us....the only difference now is that you need us to get your bacon out of the frying pan.." said Beverly...

She was absolutely right...

He frowned..

"Yes,I guess you're right....It's not good having your defense attorneys sore at you..." he said..

''So what happened at that bar that night?" I asked.. I had no interest in him groveling and apologizing for mean things he had written about my wife and her niece...Things he wouldn't have apologized for if he wasn't presently facing spending the rest of his life in prison or possibly getting a needle...


He frowned...He was quiet for awhile....Then he began to speak contritely...

"I was drunk that night...Drunk out of my mind...and well....Horny...I saw the girl...Her name was Danielle Ricard....I didn't know her name until after she was dead and she was all over the papers...
I must have bought her five or six drinks....and I'm talking to her for close to an hour and a half...I ask her for her number and she instead asks for mine....I'm about to give it to her and she sees this guy she knows...He's tall, blond...younger than me...Looks like a surfer....She immediately tells me she's got to talk to this guy and she's coming back..But she doesn't come back....I see another girl..I know..." he said..

''A hooker right?" I asked.

"Yeah....and we talk...I buy her a couple of drinks and I pay her...$200.00..It's near closing time and we leave together...We go back to her place and we make love...When the cops kicked in the door of that motel room, We were both in the bed, fast asleep...and that's all I know...I never seen that girl Danielle again after she left me in the bar..." he said.

"I saw the police report...You gave the same statement....Nobody can seem to locate this tall blond man...The cameras in the bar weren't working either..." said Nelson..

Kevin McCray grimaced -

''Not my night huh?" he said.

"How did the cops know where you were so fast?" asked Olivia..

"Well people saw me leave with Ruby...That was the girl's name...It wasn't hard to locate the motel she worked out of..." he said...

"But an anonymous call was made almost immediately saying you were seen with the girl..." said Olivia..

"Yeah...I don't know where that came from or why..."he said..

"They did a check of the panties....The findings were inconclusive....Other than that...There is no physical evidence that links you to her...Your number is in her phone, but you said you exchanged numbers... We may have to take the panties and other clothing to an independent lab to test for DNA." said Beverly...

"I need to know more about this anonymous phone call..Who got it and where it may have come from...and find and talk to everybody in that bar...Also...it would help me if I can locate this tall blond guy.."I said..

Kevin smiled..

"You guys are thorough....and very professional...I like that....I never doubted your thoroughness, even when I was writing op ed pieces critical of you...I always said you were good attorneys and ironically enough, I wrote last year that if I was ever in a jam, you guys are the ones I would want representing me...I never dreamed I would actually be in trouble...Accused of murder...I'm no killer...Look...I'm a borderline alcoholic and a bad husband...I been married and divorced three times....but I'm not a killer, I swear...I had no reason to kill her...I didn't know her....I hit on hell, maybe ten women on any good night in bars....9 of em turn me down, but one usually goes to a motel with me...I had no reason to be angry at her....I swear she and that blond guy left hours before I did..How come people only remember me being with her?" he asked..

''That's the question we have to answer.." said Millicent...

He looked at Millicent and smiled...

"They're some questions I'd like to ask you Millie...Can I call you Millie?" he asked seductively....

"As long as they are about the case....I told you before you can't have my personal number...."she said..

"Think about it baby..." he said..

"I'm not your baby...I'm an Attorney...Your life is on the line..You need to worry about that and not  getting my phone number." she said..

"I-I just thought when this is all over...Maybe you and I could go out to dinner or somethin." he said...

''You're very confident we can get you off aren't you?" said Olivia..

" Oh I am.... You guys are the best....and if you brought this Mr. East with you...He must be pretty good too..." he said..

"He is...pretty good."said Beverly, who whispered  to Nelson... "Especially in bed last night."

Nelson blushed.....

''We'll see you in a couple of days...I'm going to try and get your bail reduced so that maybe your Newspaper will pay it." said Olivia..

"Thank you Mrs. Alexander...Mr. Alexander....Ms. West , Mr East.....and uh I didn't get your name he said to Josie..

"Ms. Boyd, Josie Boyd.." Josie said.

III-

We all went back to the beachfront Bistro we had spent our first night in and had dinner and drinks..

''Can you believe this guy? He's facing spending the rest of his life in prison or possibly the death penalty and he's worried about getting my phone number, talking about after this is over me and him going out.." said Millicent..

"I think he has a thing for Blondes.." I said.. "The dead girl was blonde, his three ex-wives were blondes and the woman he was with in the motel was blonde..."I said..

"I think I'm going to die my hair red..." said Millicent..

Olivia, Beverly, Josie and Nelson cracked up laughing....

It felt good having the entire crew with Livy and Bev and I.....I know Beverly felt good having Nelson here with her and both of the girls felt good having Josie along...

Drinks arrived for the ladies ....and for

Nelson and I as well...

Just when the night was getting mellow, A short ,balding man walked over to our table...

''Well mah goodness... Is this Millicent Holiday?" He said...  "It's not often somebody I sent up...A murderer at that becomes an Attorney and winds up facing off against me in court..." he said and laughed..

''Hello Mr. Giblet..." said Millicent..

Now I knew who he was....Bart Giblit, the Assistant District Attorney ,who would be prosecuting the case.. As cut throat an Attorney as ever there was...A good old Florida boy  who got his Bachelors degree here in Florida and then traveled up North to New York City and got his Law degree at Columbia  and passed the bar there....He married and practiced law in New York for a few years....Got divorced and returned to Florida where he began working in the D.A.'s office...He married again...This also ended in divorce.....He was caught in an uncompromising position with his blonde secretary..... Guys really loved their Blondes down here...Maybe they did have more fun..

''So you're defending Kevin McCray eh? I heard you reached out...got some heavy hitters from up North to help you out...Good Idea...You're going to need it..." he laughed condescendingly...

He looked at the table..

"I know you guys...Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Beverly West...." he said.

 "That's correct.." said Olivia.

 "I like a man who keeps up with current events." said Beverly...

 Nelson chuckled...

 So Did Josie..

He looked at me...and then said..

"Louisiana Boy....I remember you....The cop who sold out his department...I guess you had to go to Philadelphia...They ran you out of the New Orleans Police Department didn't they?" he laughed..

"Is there something else you want sir?" I asked softly....

''Nahhh..I just come by to say hello...Good luck in court guys...You're gonna need it...Oh and if you want to plead out...I'm listening.." he said .

."Good Afternoon folks.." he said and walked off..

 "Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu he makes my skin crawl...Condescending bastard....Did you know after I was released from prison and exonerated...He came up to me a few years later after I passed the bar and was working as a Public defender and asked me out...saying no hard feelings..?? Ouuuuu what a creep.."said Millicent..

"Kevin McCray isn't the only one who has a thing for blondes huh?" said Beverly...

"The Nerve..." said Josie...

IV-

It was still light out when Millicent drove us back to our hotel....

"Why don't you hang out with us?" asked Olivia...

"Go Get a change of clothes...You can bunk with me.." said Josie...

"You don't mind?" asked Millicent...

"No, of course not.." said Beverly...

Millicent returned an hour and a half later and found us all relaxing in our room and working on the case...

She looked around the room..

 She saw Laptops....All five us had one...and smartphones....

And law books....

"My goodness...You have a law office right here in your hotel room.." she said..

"My husband and I are in this room...." said Olivia...

"Beverly and Nelson are next door..." I said...

as I fumbled around on my ipad mini..

 Beverly was sitting on his lap, leafing through some case files....

He was looking up something on his laptop...

"And Josie is next door to them..."

Josie and Olivia were leafing through law books..

''We are all like family...." said Olivia..

"I see and I like this.." said Millicent.....

We had our work cut out for us...A not so likeable client...Sketchy and mysterious evidence and a Prosecutor who seemed as big an asshole as one could ever meet...

Business as usual for us.


(TO BE CONTINUED)